• State Sen. Stephen Wise, a member of the Duval Delegation, was recently honored by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation and Florida Rehabilitation Council for his work in expanding employment opportunities and independent living for people with disabilities through legislation. “Senator Wise is a friend to individuals with disabilities and those who work hard every day to provide services for them,” said Bill Palmer, director for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
• Forsyth Street from Ocean to Newnan streets will be closed beginning at 8 a.m. tomorrow until 1 a.m. Saturday in anticipation for Friday night’s block party celebrating the showing of “Animal House” at The Florida Theatre. The festival begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday with show time at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are available at The Florida Theatre box office. Feel free to wear a toga.
• U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown made her interest in the Senate seat held by Sen. Mel Martinez known last week when she formed an exploratory committee. Now she has literature on the street and she’s fundraising. The flyer reminds would-be contributors that individuals may donate a maximum of $2,400 while couples may donate up to $4,800.
• If your doctor orders an MRI and you can’t get there during the day, Baptist Medical Center Downtown is now an option. The hospital recently opened its MRI Imaging Center and started its “MRI at Night” program. The center is open seven days a week from 11 p.m.-7 a.m.
• The City is looking for someone to haul artificial reef material offshore. According to Vince Seibold, chief of the Environmental Quality Division, the City has tons and tons of materials and is now taking bids for the transportation of those materials.
• Speaking of the City, it’s been asked by Neighborhoods USA to consider hosting the organization’s 37th annual conference in 2012. According to the organization’s president Elton Gatewood, the conference draws 800-1,000 people. Previous conferences have been held in Houston, Phoenix, Kansas City and other cities.
• Mayo Clinic Jacksonville has released its annual report for 2008. Last year, the hospital cared for a patient from every county in the state, every state in the country and more than 120 foreign nations. Overall, Mayo saw 71,211 Floridians as patients with 31,321 from Jacksonville alone. Also, Mayo will complete its 2,000th liver transplant sometime this summer.
• David Doucette, an engineer with the Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Department, was recently named firefighter of the year. Doucette, who won the Lt. Joseph F. Stichway Award, was recognized for pulling a victim out of a retention pond on 9A, among other things.
• JTA has hired Blair Fishburn as its new chief financial officer and Carlos Tobar to head up its Mass Transit Division. Fishburn previously spent 11 years with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Authority while Tobar was chief of operations for Hillsborough Area Regional Transit in Tampa.
• Speaking of JTA, its board of directors is top heavy with attorneys. Ava Parker is chair and Michael Cavendish is the vice chair.
• The Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Center is hosting an open house and tour of its newly renovated facilities at 3 Independent Dr. Wednesday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. All Northeast Florida aspiring, emerging, established and accomplished business owners are invited to attend free of charge. Participants will receive a business training voucher valued at up to $45 after completing a complimentary business assessment. RSVP to [email protected].
• Downtown Rotary update: Jacksonville Fire & Rescue Chief Martin Senterfitt is also Jacksonville’s emergency preparedness director and he’s the speaker at Monday’s meeting of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville. Senterfitt will explain his role at the Emergency Operations Center and how Jacksonville is prepared for hurricane season.